Vocal recording tips needed

OldMacTech

Logician
I'm a C+ level singer but in certain vocals ranges I'm pretty spot on pitch wise. Think Eric Clapton range.

I'm a complete DIY guy with moderate but name brand equipment but it seems like when I record Vocals, the lead vocal always seem to playback "pitchy." I'm 60 yrs old so voice lessons are unlikely to help.

What I am looking for is advice on recording technique. Tips like should I get in closer to the Mic, further away? Reverb, or no? EQ level? Maybe there is a mic:recording tip site or something?.

Thanks.

Jb
 
Hi Jb,

Sorry I'm replying so late after your post, I only registered yesterday.
I record vocals all the time in my studio and I find that there are a number of things you can try to correct pitchy vocs. They're not, of course, guaranteed, but often they help.

If you're not able to focus enough on what your voice is doing, try this:

Monitoring. Try one cup on ear, one cup off, and then experiment with sticking a finger in one ear (the one without the headphone cup, of course). This often focuses the mind on pitch without losing the backing track.

If, on the other hand, you find the problem is that you're just not relaxing enough to get a good vocal take, try this:

Reverb. Even if you don't end up recording the reverb on the vocal track, it's amazing how a little tasteful reverb can affect a singer's performance for the better. Because it blurs your perception of tiny changes of pitch in your voice, reverb allows you to ignore these, so you relax into the vocal, often producing better takes in the overly tense singer.

Mic position won't really affect the pitching, but of course you can utilise the proximity effect by getting nice and close to add some nice warmth.

When all said and done, and assuming the singer can hold a tune, recording vocals is often more about psychology than anything else, because the human voice is the most personal thing we ever hear. To get a good emotive take is often more important than tiny errors in pitching. In fact, often the most emotive vocals you hear are those with imperfections, highlighting the singers vulnerability.

Hope this helps,

John
 
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